Friday, June 16th, 2023

Dear friend, 


Graduation season is upon us, and I have had the great honor of participating in a number of ceremonies these past couple of weeks. I am proud of the graduating students throughout our district that have accomplished a great life goal in finishing high school. They are the future of this district and county, and we congratulate them on their incredible achievement; not only did they finish school, they also did it during a worldwide pandemic. Their resilience inspires me to continue to make sure our children are getting all the support they need in school and in life.


Thank you to Bryant High School, Hayfield Secondary, Lewis High School, and West Potomac High School for letting me be a part of your big day!

This time of year is important for another reason, as it is the beginning of voting season. Voting is an important duty for all of us as citizens and for that reason I invite you all to take part in the early voting process. In-person early voting began May 5th and will run until June 17th.


The Franconia Governmental Center will be open for early in-person voting on weekdays from 1pm to 7pm until Saturday June 17th from 9am to 5pm. Saturday is the final day for early in-person voting. You can vote at your regular polling place on June 20th.


More information can be found online at In-Person Early Voting | Elections (fairfaxcounty.gov).

I hope to see you at the polls!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office. 

Email: Franconia@fairfaxcounty.gov

Phone 703-971-6262

-Rodney

Table of Contents


  1. Hiring for Constituent Service and Policy Aide
  2. National Gun Violence Awareness Day
  3. Happy Pride Month!
  4. Community Meeting on Proposed Sign Regulations
  5. Return of Franconia Nights
  6. ECHO Food Donations
  7. Artist Residency at John Marshall Library
  8. The New Metro Better Bus Project
  9. Senior Cool Care Program
  10. Tax Credit Opportunities

Hiring for Constituent Service and Policy Aide

Are you interested in working in local government? My office is currently hiring a Constituent Service and Policy Aide! In this position, you will assist our constituents through casework in areas such as code compliance, permit applications, utilities, and more.


Responsibilities will include serving as a liaison between County staff and constituents, and drafting policy memos and letters. A successful candidate will be able to work well independently as well as support my office team as needed. They must also be highly dependable, organized, and have the ability to work quickly under pressure.


If you are interested in applying, please send your resume and cover letter to our email, Franconia@fairfaxcounty.gov.

National Gun Violence Awareness Day

I’m proud to support the Board of Supervisors proclamation for National Gun Violence Awareness Day, June 2nd, 2023. Advocates from Moms Demand Action were present during the presentation on June 6th, 2023.


Learn more about what Fairfax County is doing to prevent Gun Violence here: Resources Available to Help Prevent Gun Violence | News Center (fairfaxcounty.gov)

Happy Pride Month!

I am proud to support the proclamation for June as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in Fairfax County. I am committed, along with my staff, to promote a culture of openness, inclusiveness and acceptance for all persons. Happy Pride!

Community Meeting on Proposed Sign Regulations

Are you interested in learning more about proposed changes to the County's sign regulations?



Join County staff at an upcoming virtual community meeting to learn more. The meetings are scheduled for Thursday, June 22 at 12:00 p.m. and Wednesday, June 28 at 7:00 p.m. and will be held on Microsoft Teams. Agenda items include an overview of the changes, along with discussion and time for questions and comments to be addressed. Links to join the meeting are included on the Signs Part II website under "Upcoming Meetings."

Franconia Nights Summer Entertainment Series

I am happy to share that Franconia Nights are back! Starting Wednesday, July 5th, at the Leonadus K. Plenty Amphitheater in Franconia Park. The annual summer entertainment series will kick off featuring performers such as the Natyabhoomi School of Dance, Chuck Brown Band, the Nighthawks, and many more. This is the perfect occasion to bring your loved ones, dance, or just sit back and enjoy the night! I hope to see you there!

ECHO Food Donations


Over the past couple of months we have collected over 300 pounds of food for ECHO. We were so moved by the amount of food donated that we have decided to continue to accept donations at my office. We will be delivering all of the donated items at the end of the month. You still have time to donate! If you have non-perishable items that you wish to donate, please drop them off at my office. Let's continue to help lower food insecurity in our district!


More information: https://www.echo-inc.org/

Ceramic Tile Workshop with Artist Suzy Scollon

Learn to tell a story through ceramic tiles with Artist Suzy Scollon in this six-session workshop series! Cosponsored by ArtsFairfax. Registration required for the entire series and attendees must be 18 or older.



Register here: https://librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/10831574

The New Metro Better Bus Project

You told us how to make the bus better and we listened!


With your input, we've created a draft future bus network that better meets our region's needs—we call it the Visionary Network. This network includes changes to routes, how often the bus arrives, and times of service.


To ensure as many people as possible have a chance to provide their comments on the draft Visionary Network - we've extended the deadline to Sunday, June 18!


Leaving feedback is easy. Simply visit the Better Bus Experience Lab where you can discover the network and leave comments. 

Senior Cool Care Program

Are you in need of additional cooling during the summer?


The Senior Cool Care Program is a public-private partnership sponsored by Dominion Energy and administered by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services through the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging that helps low-income older citizens in our jurisdiction keep cool during summer months.


The program runs May 1 through October 31, 2023. This program does not provide financial assistance, but it provides additional cooling at home, such as fans, for eligible older adults, age 60 and older.


If you are interested in learning more about the program, please contact the Aging, Disability & Caregiver Resource Line: 703-324-7948.

Tax Credit Opportunities

Did you know that the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes a wide array of tax credits and rebates for things like electric vehicles, solar panels, appliances, and new doors and windows?


If you're in the market for an electric vehicle, you can receive a tax credit for $7,500 on qualifying vehicles. Solar panels, peripherals, and battery storage are eligible for a 30% tax credit. Tax credits are also available for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and weatherization. Beginning in early 2024, there will also be up-front rebates on those and other home upgrades for qualifying low- and moderate-income households.


For more information, see this list of resources curated by the Fairfax County chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby. The group is also available to provide presentations on this topic to groups. Please reach out to fairfax.va@citizensclimatelobby.org to discuss a presentation.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Rodney L. Lusk

Franconia District Supervisor

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